Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer. In one embodiment, the disk drive coupling apparatus includes a disk drive to chassis coupler and a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism. One end of the disk drive to chassis coupler can be coupled to the chassis of the computer. The disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of causing the other end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive, thus, the disk drive can be rigidly coupled to the chassis.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer, the disk drive coupling apparatus comprising: a disk drive to chassis coupler, wherein a first end of the disk drive to chassis coupler is capable of being coupled to the chassis; a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism that is capable of causing a second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive so that the disk drive is rigidly coupled to the chassis, wherein at least a part of the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is an integral part of the computer; and a shutter that can be used to one of cover or uncover a hole in an enclosure of the disk drive.
2. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: an enclosure of the disk drive, wherein the enclosure includes a hole, wherein the chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of causing the second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to be inserted into the hole as a part of applying pressure to the disk drive.
3. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler is formed out of a relatively rigid material.
4. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler is formed out of a relatively pliable material, wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler includes a constraint made out of a relatively rigid material.
5. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler to includes a spring.
6. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler includes a plate.
7. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of being disengaged.
8. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism can be, at least in part, selected from a group consisting of a mechanical mechanism, an electrical mechanism, and a magnetic mechanism.
9. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler further comprises a relatively pliable material at the second end.
10. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism can be one of engaged or disengaged with a single action.
11. A disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer, the disk drive coupling apparatus comprising: a disk drive to chassis coupler, wherein a first end of the disk drive to chassis coupler is capable of being coupled to the disk drive; a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism that is capable of causing a second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the chassis so that the disk drive is rigidly coupled to the chassis, wherein at least a part of the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is an integral part of the disk drive; and a shutter that can be used to one of cover or uncover a hole in an enclosure of the disk drive.
12. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising: an enclosure of the disk drive, wherein the enclosure includes a hole, wherein the chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of causing the second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to be inserted into the hole as a part of applying pressure to the disk drive.
13. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler is formed out of a relatively rigid material.
14. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler is formed out of a relatively pliable material, wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler includes a constraint made out of a relatively rigid material.
15. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler to includes a spring.
16. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler includes a plate.
17. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of being disengaged.
18. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism can be, at least in part, selected from a group consisting of a mechanical mechanism, an electrical mechanism, and a magnetic mechanism.
19. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler further comprises a relatively pliable material at the second end.
20. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism can be one of engaged or disengaged with a single action.
21. The disk drive coupling apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the single action that causes the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism to be engaged is selected from a group consisting of detecting that a platter associated with the disk drive is rotating, detecting that a read or a write operation is being performed, detecting that the computer has been turned on, detecting that the disk drive has been inserted into the computer, and wherein the action that causes the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism to be disengaged is selected from a group consisting of detecting that the platter is not rotating, detecting that a read or a write operation is not being performed, detecting that the computer has been turned off, detecting that the disk drive has been removed from the computer.
22. A means for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer, the means comprising: coupling means for coupling the disk drive to the chassis, wherein a first end of the coupling means is capable of being coupled to the disk drive; engaging means for causing the coupling means to apply pressure to the disk drive so that the disk drive is rigidly coupled to the chassis, wherein at least a part of the engaging means is an integral part of the computer; and shutter means that can be used to one of cover or uncover a hole in an enclosure of the disk drive.
23. A disk drive comprising: an enclosure; a disk pack mounted to the enclosure and having a plurality of disks that are rotatable relative to the enclosure; an actuator mounted to the enclosure and being movable relative to the disk pack, the actuator having a plurality of heads for reading data from and writing data to the disks; a disk drive to chassis coupler, wherein a first end of the disk drive to chassis coupler is capable of being coupled to the chassis; a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism that is capable of causing a second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive so that the disk drive is rigidly coupled to the chassis so that the disk drive is rigidly coupled to the chassis, wherein at least a part of the disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is an integral part of the computer; and a shutter that can be used to one of cover or uncover a hole in an enclosure of the disk drive.
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January 31, 2005
March 27, 2007
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